Why it is so difficult to love 'Science' but learning it is imperative

Since its inception, Science has been a thorn in the side: incessantly inconvenient, calculatingly cold, and questioning of one's deeply held beliefs ( Regarding God, soul, afterlife, astrology, homeopathy & 101 other pseudo-sciences). It disregards personal feelings.

But that's not the worst of it.

Science is the reason why Earth is no longer at the center of the Universe. We humans used to be so significant. Everything revolved around us until Science and it's meddling, pesky purveyors got in the way. Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo couldn't leave well enough alone. They simply had to burst our geocentric bubble of superiority.

But we showed those scientists. We cast them out, banned their ideas, and placed them under trial. But alas, in the end, we couldn't stop them. The ideas far outlived their mortal originators. Now, the Earth is just a rock in a solar system, one of billions.

What's more, Science is frustratingly uncertain ! On tons of issues, including nutrition, string theory, and psychiatric disorders, it can't seem to make up its mind ! One week they say coffee is bad for your health; another week they unashamedly say coffee is good for us. Who has time for such indecision ? Additionally, Science is mind-bogglingly complicated. All of those darn science journals seem to be written in a foreign language.

Science is predicated on the notion that we don't know everything. I think that's why, to many, Science elicits dislike. To human beings, nothing is more comforting than "certitude", the certainty of soul, afterlife, heaven & God(s).

Moreover the findings of science are uncontrollable. Sometimes our efforts to look farther and explore deeper reveal only chaos..... Quantum mechanics, String theory, Multiverse... just to cite a few.

Not looking might be the easy course of action for most people, who would not like to make use of their brains to understand the realities in this universe. This attitude is usually seen in people who are at the lower levels of Maslow's need hierarchy, who are obsessed with just the physiological, security, social & ego need levels. "I have made up my mind (about Gods, soul, afterlife & heaven), so don't disturb me with the facts" seems to be their refrain. This is so bovine like.

Cultivating a scientific temper is not easy. Science is a cognitively unnatural human activity...

-- Unlike religion, scientific activities are often rigorous and exacting in the extreme. [Think: the development of the Periodic Table, the Human Genome Project, the creation of the Large Hadron Collider, etc.]

-- Unlike religion, science depends on a very specific combination of cultural elements, including literacy, long term education, freedom from religious and political repression, the allocation of resources to theoretical research, and so on. This combination of cultural elements is historically rare.

Yet.

End Note

Only science can lead us to the truth. All truth seekers hence have to love science. Science is just not calorimeter or light through prism or chemical lab experiments done in a Pre-University course, as many people tend to think, but a well rounded knowledge gained from accessible introductory literature on Cosmology, Evolution, Anthropology, Evolutionary psychology, Preventive medicine & Positive psychology -- thus mastering the three kinds of health required for optimal living : Physical health, Psychological health & Philosophical health.

Many atheists & Secular humanists may be rationalistic & scientific regarding gods, soul, afterlife, but they have too many irrational ideas about health care, building a happy conjugal life, parenting skills & lack EQ to succeed in this chaotic world.

Remember that Atheism is the first step. Humanism is the 1000 steps that follows. A happy & meaningful life is the 10,000 steps beyond all this. There is 'No free lunch' i.e., it is impossible to get something for nothing. You have to keep learning new subjects all your life & apply it in your life, in order to prevent sub-optimization of your life.